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Message from your Facility Manager
Dear Horton House Twilight Family,
We hope this news update finds you well.
Our preparation for the colder months is already underway. If you would like your family member to receive the Flu vaccination at our next clinic, please reach out to us as soon as possible to provide your consent.
We are pleased to welcome some recently arrived new staff team members as part of an international recruitment program developed and being trialled by Twilight. Our staff for the first intake are from Nepal, so they should feel at home within our wonderful Nepalese community. We have already seen how passionate they are about providing excellent care to our residents, which is a positive and encouraging beginning.
We continuously strive to create a home where residents feel safe, valued and comfortable, and can move through their days with enjoyment, meaning and purpose, as well as receiving the care that their individual needs dictate. Your feedback is important and always welcomed to enable us to improve our services and the quality of life for our residents.
As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance the dining experience for our residents, we have initiated the opportunity for you to share meals with your loved ones. We believe that mealtimes are an important occasion for socialisation and connection.
This is a wonderful chance to spend quality time together and enjoy a delicious meal in a warm and welcoming environment so we would like to invite and encourage you to avail yourself of the service.
The cost of the meal will be $10 per person. We believe that this a great value, considering the high quality food and exceptional service that we provide.
If you’re interested in sharing a meal with your loved one, just let us know in advance and we’ll take care of the rest. We’ll need at least 24 hours' notice, so please give our admin a call or send us an email.
We will do our best to accommodate your request and ensure that your mealtime experience is enjoyable.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact me with any queries or concerns
Until next time, kind regards,
Sara.
Sara Ahadizadeh
Seniors Rights Service information session on Wednesday 23rd April
Seniors Rights Service is a community organisation dedicated to protecting and advancing the rights of older people in New South Wales. They will be facilitating an information session for residents at Horton House at 1.30 pm Wednesday 23rd April,to which interested family and friends are also invited.
You're at Home, with Twilight
Around our Home
Out and About
Our Horton ladies love every opportunity to enjoy life, connecting with special places and the community.
Twilight Art Exhibition
And on other occasions, it's just nice to spend some time at home with flowers and friends!
Seniors Festival 2025
The City of Ryde hosted a Seniors Festival event in March, featuring a free Musical Morning Tea with The Guitar Shed band. Residents from three of our homes, Horton House, Hunters Hill Village, and Glades Bay Gardens had a wonderful time making and renewing friendships, and connecting socially over live music and a cuppa at this enjoyable event.
Another highlight of Seniors Festival is the NSW Premier's Seniors Gala Concert , a wonderful extravaganza that had our residents glowing with excitement and enjoyment.
Celebrations
Diversity and inclusion are always on our agenda, so we have lots of opportunities to acknowledge both the solemn and special cultural days and the fun times together as a Twilight Family. There's something on offer for everyone!
JANUARY
Happy New Year!
What could be better to bring in a New Year than to make some beautiful wishes for the following 12 months?
After residents chose a wish, they wrote their name on it and attached it to the Happy 2025 Wish tree, loading it with positive and uplifting affirmations for a wonderful year ahead.
Australia Day 2025
Lunar New Year
The Year of the Snake was heralded by a Lion Dance through Horton House, to bring good luck and prosperity throughout the next 12 months.
Our residents enjoyed engaging with the lovely lion, too!
March
St Patrick's Day
Twilight News
Vale Neil Wendt, Twilight CEO 2018-2025
Most of our Twilight Family will have received news by now of the sad and untimely passing of our former CEO Neil Wendt on the 21st of January 2025. Horton House held a Memorial Service for residents, families and staff to pay their respects and farewell Neil on Wednesday 19th February at 2 p.m.
Neil had a vision with commitment, inspirational leadership and passion for providing exceptional care to our residents with unwavering dedication.
Loved by residents, families and staff alike, Neil was largely responsible for the personal and special connection that we feel as "Twilight Family". This connection is at the heart of Twilight's existence and will continue as part of Neil's legacy for us all.
The Board is conducting an extensive recruitment process to ensure that we continue to have strong leadership for the future of Twilight Aged Care. While this is underway, James Carter has been appointed as Acting CEO. James has had a long association with Twilight Aged Care and served as Acting CEO in the past.
The Board is confident in James' ability to lead us during this transitional period with the same commitment and understanding that he has shown before.Twilight Aged Care will remain a progressive and responsive organisation to the needs of residents and families. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact your Facility Manager. We will keep our Twilight Families informed as we navigate this time of change together.
Quality Care and Support Survey -Thank you for your Feedback
Early in December 2024 we requested your feedback on the care and support that your family member or friend receives at Twilight through a survey process.
Thank you to all those who responded to the survey, offering their thoughts and suggestions for how we can continue to improve services to our residents. Comments were strongly positive, which was wonderful to see.
Please remember that we welcome your feedback at all times , either in person, by phone, email, on one of the forms available in the homes or online.
International Women's Day 2025
Twilight Aged Care has a unique connection to the Australian Feminist Movement - in 1915 the first home “Twilight House” was opened to care for vulnerable women, an important part of our mission that continues into the present.
Today Twilight cares for older women and men, with a diverse and inclusive staff who understand the power of respect, appreciation, and equity.
We acknowledge and honour the women of Twilight, past and present, and thank the men of Twilight for their ongoing support and recognition of the work we do.
Twilight Participating in Dementia Australia Memory Walk in May
We're doing the Sydney Memory Walk & Jog to raise funds for the 421,000 Australians living with dementia.
On Sunday, 25 May, we’ll be joining the Sydney Memory Walk & Jog to show our love and help Dementia Australia.
And we need your support!
Did you know that 1.5 million carers, family members and friends are involved in the care of someone living with dementia in Australia. That's why we're hoping to raise as much money as possible. We'll be walking, jogging, and running to stop dementia in its tracks.
We'd love you to join us on the day, but if you can't, a generous donation will help provide vital services like counselling, support groups, education, and research to find a cure.
Together we can achieve a lot. That's why your donation will mean the world to us.
We're all grateful for any amount you can give.
If you'd like to join us on the day you can register as part of the team at
https://www.memorywalk.com.au/
OR if you'd like to sponsor/donate to our team , you can do that at
The Dining Experience
Great News for Twilight Residents!
Twilight is proud to announce our participation in the Trainer Mentor Program, delivered by the Maggie Beer Foundation.
This program will pair our Glades Bay Gardens kitchen team with a qualified chef trainer to help us serve flavourful, nutritious meals and enhance the dining experience for our residents.
What This Means for Our Residents:
Improved meal quality with dishes full of flavour and nutrients.
A focus on continuously meeting and exceeding dining expectations.
A commitment to enhancing the overall quality of life for our residents through
nutritious, enjoyable food.
About the Trainer Mentor Program:
The program is FREE, delivered in-Home, and tailored to meet our specific needs.
Over the course of 12 months, our kitchen team will:
Receive hands-on training and mentorship from an experienced chef.
Have a review of 3 weeks of our menus by an Accredited Practising Dietitian.
Use feedback from residents, families, and staff through Food Satisfaction
Questionnaires to continuously improve our dining services.
By participating in this program, we aim to:
Build the skills and capabilities of our kitchen team.
Support the health and well-being of our residents.
Set a benchmark for food and dining excellence in aged care.
We are excited to work alongside the Maggie Beer Foundation to bring positive changes to our dining program, creating a warm, welcoming dining experience for everyone at Glades Bay Gardens, as well as accessing the benefits that will flow through all of our homes as a result of our shared learning and development over the course of this program.
About the Maggie Beer Foundation
The Maggie Beer Foundation is dedicated to improving the nutrition and flavour of food for older people in aged care. Established in 2014, the foundation believes that access to food full of flavour and nutrients can bring about life-altering change to the well-being of older people.
The program commences in June 2025, so watch this space for regular updates!
Until next time
Rahul Manjrekar
Chef Manager
Twilight Art Exhibition
This year's exhibition at the Hunters Hill Village Church Hall was a mighty effort by Joanne, Khat, Tamia and a team of dedicated volunteers and supporters, like our very special auctioneer, Ethan Vale!
The theme of this year's exhibition was “Connection to Self, Connection to Others and Connection to Community" and one of the exciting elements was an installation called "Transformation". Several Art and Music collaboration sessions using records donated by family members were facilitated during 2024. During these sessions, residents listened to the music and transformed their auditory experiences into visual art.
Additionally, the residents repurposed some of the old records, turning them into functional art pieces such as fruit bowls, thus giving the records a new life and purpose.
This process of transformation and repurposing parallels the broader mission of Twilight in providing a sense of purpose to older people living in residential aged care.
By engaging in these creative activities, residents not only find new meaning in the music and materials they work with but also experience a personal transformation. The creative process involved in repurposing objects fosters a sense of achievement and contribution, reinforcing the importance of purposeful participation in enhancing their well-being and quality of life.
Along with “Paint Drumming” as an interactive exhibit, the exhibition showcased a plethora of different artworks in different media created by residents and volunteers over the 12 months of 2024.
Our annual Auction Night event saw a battle of the art-lovers for some of the pieces on offer, and a fabulous amount was raised to put back into the program for this year.
With a moment of silence to reflect on the recent passing our much- loved CEO Neil Wendt, Art Therapy's strongest and most constant supporter, the night was one of happiness, emotion and connection.
Hope to see you next year!
International Connection
How exciting to welcome our new international Twilight Family members from Nepal with some awesome signs created by residents during art therapy sessions.
When you see them, don't forget to say hello, and welcome to Twilight!
Training Updates
Congratulations to all Twilight Staff who have recently completed training which improves our delivery of care to residents.
Culturally Appropriate Care Plan(ning) and Cross-cultural Communication sessions were held at Glengarry on Monday 10th of February.
Heba Hassanin is the facilitator of this training which is part of a Diversity Mentorship program that Twilight is participating in. This training will be given across the whole organisation over time and ensure that our Twilight staff are able to meet the specific needs of all our residents.
Staff are also completing their mandatory annual Fire Safety Training sessions!
Care and Services Information Round-Up
Influenza Vaccination Season 2025
- Influenza is caused by infection with the influenza virus and results in respiratory illness.
- It is a common cause of hospitalisation and death, particularly in those at greater risk of severe disease.
- Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all people aged 6 months and over and is available free under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) for eligible groups at the highest risk of influenza and its complications.
- All currently available influenza vaccines in Australia are inactivated (non-live) and cannot cause influenza. They are safe for people who are immunocompromised and pregnant women.
- Influenza is seasonal, and yearly vaccination with vaccines tailored to changes in circulating strains each influenza season is required for continuing immunity.
- Influenza vaccine can be co-administered with (i.e. given on the same day as) most other vaccines.
If you have any questions about vaccination clinics, please contact your Facility Manager for more information
MY HEALTH RECORD updates
My Health Record is a digital space where important health information that you and your healthcare provider organisations have added, all in one place.
We are encouraging families who have not yet done so to apply to manage these accounts where the resident is unable to. This will allow easier access to information such as hospital discharge summaries and medical information that will support the best and most timely care delivery to your loved ones. Please discuss this with your Facility Manager at your earliest convenience so that we can ensure the details are on record .
Did you know you can access FREE services at Relationships NSW?
Australian Grief and Loss Support - website and hotline
Many people don’t know how to respond to grief, whether their own or others.
We are the frontline first responders to grief for hundreds of Australians every day.
In addition to free telephone support, we offer online bereavement support groups and forums, grief resources and information, as well as education and training programs.
Inviting Courageous Conversations
Find hope and connection
Griefline is here for you with free, compassionate and confidential support every day of the year
Above everything else, we give you space to express and explore your grief without judgement.
Helpline 1300 845 745
8am to 8pm: 7 days (AEST
Strengthened Standards are Coming!
Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect in aged care.
The Aged Care Quality Standards define what good care looks like in Australia. They apply to all aged care services that receive funding from the Australian Government.
The Aged Care Quality Standards are being strengthened as part of the proposed new Aged Care Act and regulatory model.
to find out more about the Aged Care Standards, you can visit
https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/providers/quality-standards
Talk to us about Guardianship
We are currently raising awareness for guardians to have the correct functions in place to be able to consent for restrictive practices.
Residents that are no longer able to make decisions about their care may require their guardian to consent on restrictive practices.
A restrictive practice is any practice or intervention that has the effect of restricting the rights or freedom of movement of the person.
Restrictive practices aim to address behaviour issues and minimise harm.
Restrictive practices generally take one or more of the following forms.
•Seclusion – where a person is kept in a room or space at any time where their exit is prevented.
•Physical restraint – where physical force is used to prevent or restrict a person’s movement.
•Mechanical restraint – where a device is used to prevent or restrict a person’s movement.
•Environmental restraint – where a person’s access to parts of their environment, including items or activities, is restricted.
•Chemical restraint – where medication is used for the primary purpose of influencing a person’s behaviour, and not for treatment of a diagnosed mental disorder, physical illness or physical condition.
Our homes will hold a care conference with you and if it's required, will encourage guardians to apply for approval to make this decision and consent to appropriate action. A guardian must have this function approved in enduring guardianship order .
However, residents can make decisions about restrictive practices if they still have capacity.
We encourage all families to apply to NCAT for this function as soon as possible, to ensure the appropriate care for their relatives and friends.
If this applies to you, please talk to your Facility Manager for more information.
Find out more here https://ncat.nsw.gov.au/publications-and-resources/fact-sheets/guardianship-division-fact-sheets.html
Are you following Twilight on social media?
Make sure you follow us on social media to stay connected with your Twilight family.
"You're at home, with Twilight."
Twilight Aged Care
Horton House
1A Ravenswood Ave
GORDON NSW 2072
02 8886 2100